Tag: UFC predictions

UFC Fight Night 107 Predictions: A New 205-Pound Contender Will Emerge

The UFC heads to London tomorrow (Sat., March 18, 2017) when UFC Fight Night 107 goes down from the O2 Arena. The card features some under-the-radar up-and-coming stars despite the criticism heaped upon the light heavyweight main event between hometown favorite Jimi Manuwa and Corey Anderson on Fight Pass, and should serve as another launching

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The UFC heads to London tomorrow (Sat., March 18, 2017) when UFC Fight Night 107 goes down from the O2 Arena.

The card features some under-the-radar up-and-coming stars despite the criticism heaped upon the light heavyweight main event between hometown favorite Jimi Manuwa and Corey Anderson on Fight Pass, and should serve as another launching pad for some European future stars of MMA.

First and foremost among those competitors is Icelander Gunnar Nelson, who will meet surging knockout artist Alan Jouban in a welterweight co-main event that promises an interesting contrast of styles with “Gunni’s” elite ground game.

Fan favorite British veteran Brad “One Punch” Pickett will also throw down in his farewell fight against Marlon Vera on the main card as well.

Find out whom we picked to win in London tomorrow here:

Jimi Manuwa vs. Corey Anderson:

This fight, while not exactly heavily promoted, still has a good amount of potential to deliver a hard-hitting match-up in a division that badly needs just that based on the two fighters’ most recent performances. Manuwa knocked out former interim title challenger Ovince St. Preux with a highlight reel hook at last year’s UFC 204 in Manchester, while Anderson rebounded from a close decision loss to former champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua by stopping Sean O’Connell in the second round of their fight in December.

Known for his knockouts, the British Manuwa has some of the most frightening one-punch power in the barren UFC light heavyweight division. Anderson is quickly coming into his own effective striking game; however, he could look to use his wrestling advantage over the “Poster Boy” here. There’s no need for him to slug it out with a knockout artist like Manuwa. If the newly named “Overtime” fights smart, we could see a somewhat boring match. Don’t count on it, however, as both of these men are looking to make a statement and rise up a 205-pound rankings list that needs some new blood. I think Anderson is the more motivated and well-rounded fighter. Anderson via TKO.

Gunnar Nelson vs. Alan Jouban:

A potentially riveting fight in its own right, the UFC Fight Night 107 co-main event will probably come down to which fighter can most effectively impose his respective gameplan. Jouban lives up to his “Brahma” nickname by coming forward relentlessly with a bulldozing Muay Thai arsenal and a solid chin; it could be said he eats a few too many shots in the process, however. Nelson will of course be looking to get the fight to the ground to use his championship ground game, and we haven’t really seen the rising Jouban tested by a true mat wizard there as of yet, as most of his fights have played out on the feet. His takedown defense isn’t bad, but I expect Nelson to just be on another level in the wrestling and grappling departments. Nelson via second-round submission (rear-naked choke).

Brad Pickett vs. Marlon Vera:

It’s almost impossible not to root for the hard-hitting, action-centered “One Punch” in his final MMA bout of all-time, so Vera has a target on his back. As one of a select group of fighters who have defeated dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and a fighter who brought it every time out to the cage, the seasoned Pickett’s legacy is intact as a true English brawler of the highest order. He’ll have his hands full with the larger Vera, who has a two-inch reach and height advantage, but he’ll be motivated by his fervent hometown fans, who will no doubt be feverish in their support of “One Punch.” This one will be a war, and I think hometown favorite Pickett goes out in style with a hard-fought win. Pickett by unanimous decision.

Makwan Amirkhani vs. Arnold Allen:

A featherweight curtain-jerker caps off this underrated card, as rising Finnish star Amirkhani, who usually always fights in Europe as one of the UFC’s key prospects there, could find himself in the unfamiliar role of heel when he meets hometown prospect Allen. This one promises to be yet another war (or at least, we hope), with Amirkhani boasting an impressive 13-2 mark, while Allen has a just-as-shining 11-1 mark. Both fighters are tough, fast, and well rounded, and that makes this a tough one to pick. “Mr. Finland” has more time in the octagon, however, and that could play a part in this pivotal bout. He’s also ultra-confident and could be a future contender at 145 pounds. The same could obviously be said for Allen as well, but I’m going with the entertaining Finn in this fight. Amirkhani via unanimous decision.

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UFC Fight Night 106 Predictions: Is “The Phenom” Done?

Tomorrow (Sat., March 11, 2017) the UFC heads to Brazil with UFC Fight Night 106 from the Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil. The main event features a potential changing of the guard when longtime MMA legend and UFC record holder Vitor Belfort meets streaking 25-year-old Kelvin Gastelum at middleweight. Another Brazilian

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Tomorrow (Sat., March 11, 2017) the UFC heads to Brazil with UFC Fight Night 106 from the Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil.

The main event features a potential changing of the guard when longtime MMA legend and UFC record holder Vitor Belfort meets streaking 25-year-old Kelvin Gastelum at middleweight.

Another Brazilian legend will return in the co-main event when Mauricio “Shogun” Rua meets 205-pound contender Gian Villante. The rest of the main card is full of relevant and promising fights as well, with a pivotal 155-pound contest between the highly contrasting Edson Barboza and Beneil Dariush, and also a contest between former title contender Bethe Correia and Marion Reneau.

Check out our predictions for the under-the-radar event below.

Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum:

I just can’t see this as more than a glorified showcase fight for Gastelum’s continued rise, because he ran through Tim Kennedy at UFC 205 while the 39-year-old Belfort has been seemingly showing up to get finished for a paycheck in his post-TRT form.

The former light heavyweight champion will always have fight-changing power, yet I don’t think it will matter against the hard-charging, more rounded game of the younger Gastelum.

Prediction: Gastelum via TKO in R1

Photo Courtesy of Jason da Silva for USA TODAY Sports

Shogun Rua vs. Gian Villante:

I think it’s nearly impossible to not be a fan of MMA legend Shogun, especially based on his sport-changing run to the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix title as a 23-year-old freight train.

But that Rua is long gone following seemingly never-ending surgeries and myriad other injuries, and he’s been inconsistent in the last few years. Meanwhile, Villante brings a predictable wrestle-boxer game to the table, and he’s a fighter who’s always seemingly on the cusp of doing big things in arguably the shallowest division in all of MMA only to lose a pivotal bout. This is his biggest fight in terms of name recognition, however, so I think the East Coast native gets the job done against a once-great fighter starting to fade significantly.

Prediction: Villante by unanimous decision

Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski for USA TODAY Sports

Edson Barboza vs. Beneil Dariush:

This pivotal 155-pound scrap couldn’t present more contrasting styles with the slick striking game of Barboza colliding with the grappling game of Dariush. “Junior” has looked elite during his two-fight winning streak over Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis following a close loss to Tony Ferguson, and he has some of the best low kicks in MMA.

Dariush knows that so will most likely be looking to make this fight play out up close, where he can clinch and get the fight to the canvas in order to use his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The Kings MMA standout has some power in his hands, but there isn’t much reason to trade with a buzz saw like Barboza. I think the Brazilian will be able to effectively keep the distance with his kicks and land enough volume to outlast a third consecutive top name.

Prediction: Barboza by unanimous decision

Jussier Formiga vs. Ray Borg:

This is a very interesting flyweight bout in a shallow division where one huge statement victory could propel any 125-pound contender to the position of being the only top-ranked fighter who has not been beaten by divisional kingpin Demetrious Johnson, especially considering the way the UFC has been letting Top 10-ranked names go in the floundering and uninspiring division. Each fighter has won four out of his last five bouts, with the Brazilian Formiga probably maintaining a slight edge in grappling while Borg packs more power in his punches. It should be close, so I see the crowd propelling Formiga to a hard-fought win over Borg when the dust settles.

Prediction: Formiga, unanimous decision

Bethe Correia vs. Marion Reneau:

This fight’s a tough one to pick for me, as Correia really hasn’t shown us much outside of a split decision over Jessica Eye that was largely due to Eye’s inactivity more than anything else, since her two-fight losing streak to Ronda Rousey and Raquel Pennington, while Reneau also rebounded with a win over Milana Dudieva after two losses of her own. Fighting in her home country, Correia looked in amazing shape during her open workouts, and although I can’t discount the toughness of Reneau, I can’t seem to shake the opinion that going into such hostile territory is going to be tough for the 39-year-old veteran.

Prediction: Correia by decision

Tim Means vs. Alex Oliveira:

This rematch of their first bout at UFC 207 where Means was initially disqualified for landing illegal knees to a grounded Oliveira, a result that was later changed to a no contest when Means’ strikes were dubbed accidental, brings the bad blood of that result, evident by Means’ taunting at the event media day.

It’s taking place in Oliveira’s backyard now, yet I still believe the much larger Means will find a way to score a finish over “Cowboy, who once fought at lightweight. The Brazilian brings it every tie out and is a solid striker and dangerous grappler, but Means’ size and reach paired with his aggressive striking should be the difference.

Prediction: Means by second round TKO

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UFC Fight Night 105 Predictions: Will “The Black Beast” Continue Rise?

With a golden opportunity to capitalize momentum following Bellator’s canceled Fedor debut last night, the UFC is back tonight (Feb. 19, 2017) with UFC Fight Night 105 from Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In terms of pure name recognition, the card may have a tough time doing that, as the Derrick Lewis vs. Travis

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With a golden opportunity to capitalize momentum following Bellator’s canceled Fedor debut last night, the UFC is back tonight (Feb. 19, 2017) with UFC Fight Night 105 from Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In terms of pure name recognition, the card may have a tough time doing that, as the Derrick Lewis vs. Travis Browne main event, while being a fun and potentially explosive heavyweight match-up, isn’t exactly what you would envision as a UFC headliner in 2017.

Regardless, the main card features some under-the-radar potential for fight fans on a Sunday night, and much of that is due to sluggers like Hector Lombard and Paul Felder. Find out whom we picked to win below.

Main Event -Derrick Lewis vs. Travis Browne:

One of few promising prospects in the UFC heavyweight arena, the surging Lewis has put together an impressive five-fight win streak with four coming by knockout. He has a well-known opponent in Browne, but “Hapa” has been on a downward-trending slide since he changed camps to Edmond Tarverdyan’s Glendale Fighting Club. The formerly surging Hawaiian heavy hitter has lost four out of his last six, and his wins weren’t all that convincing. Lewis should find a home for one of his many ham-fisted power punches and open up the path for a stoppage.

Prediction: Lewis by R2 TKO (strikes)

Co-Main – Hector Lombard vs. Johny Hendricks:

This is an extremely important bout for both men as the former champions seek to regain their momentum following mounting losses. Former welterweight champ “Bigg Rigg” has struggled with making weight, so he’ll move up to face Lombard, who did the same after losing to Neil Magny in a bout he was winning convincingly. Hendricks, on the other hand, has lost three in a row and five out of his last seven, and has said he’ll retire if he loses to Lombard at middleweight tonight. The stakes are high for “Bigg Rigg and “Lightning” (or is it “Showeather?”), so I expect a bit of a slugfest early, and if the normally iron-chinned Hendricks can survive Lombard’s first-round assault, he may be able to reinvent himself at 185. He could certainly get knocked out by the hulking former Bellator champion in said assault, and the loser of this bout could conceivably receive their walking papers.

Prediction: Hendricks by decision

Sam Sicilia vs. Gavin Tucker:

This is a bit of an odd choice for the third main card bout, as Sicilia has lost three out of his last five and is 5-7 overall in the world’s foremost MMA promotion. He brings it every time out, but leaves himself open to get finished too much. I don’t think the undefeated Tucker, whose 9-0 record features four T/Kos and four submissions, will have an opening for another big win.

Prediction: Tucker by R1 TKO

Elias Theodorou vs. Cezar Ferreira:

“The Spartan” will return in this battle of former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winners, and he’ll do so in his native Canada after fighting only once in 2016. Theodorou has shown flashes of a strong overall game, but he’s also looked sloppy and inconsistent at other times to stagnate on his progress a bit. His opponent Ferreira has quietly won three straight fights while remaining very active, so I think he pulls off the upset against the tough hometown hero.

Prediction: Ferreira by decision

Sara McMann vs. Gina Mazany:

I can’t help but think that this bout where Mazany replaced former title challenger Liz Carmouche, will be anything more than the No. 7-ranked McMann blanketing her on the way to a clear win. These are the kind of fights McMann can dominate.

Prediction: McMann by R2 TKO

Paul Felder vs. Alessandro Ricci:

The flashy but not-always-effective Felder gets a step down in competition in a 10-4 Ricci, who lost hi only UFC fight by decision last year. This should be a fun scrap that could get the card started off right, and I expect “The Irish Dragon” to be throwing plenty of spinning sh*t on his way to a decision victory.

Prediction: Felder by unanimous decision

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UFC 208 Predictions: Will ‘The Spider’ Return?

This Saturday night (February 11, 2017), the UFC is back on pay-per-view (PPV) with UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event, while not wholly gathering a ton of mainstream attention in MMA, will still go down in history due to the fact that the fist-ever UFC women’s 145-pound champion will

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This Saturday night (February 11, 2017), the UFC is back on pay-per-view (PPV) with UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The event, while not wholly gathering a ton of mainstream attention in MMA, will still go down in history due to the fact that the fist-ever UFC women’s 145-pound champion will be crowned when former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm meets undefeated kickboxing sensation Germaine de Randamie in the main event.

The co-main event presents a potentially hard-hitting slugfest as well when longtime former middleweight champion Anderson Silva returns against bulldozing force Derek Brunson. UFC 208 has certainly had its fair share of criticism for the handling of the women’s featherweight title picture, but nevertheless, the potential for some great MMA action still awaits.

Find out whom we picked to win the main bouts at UFC 208 below.

Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie:

Mike Drahota:

I’ve seen many picking Holm based on her superior level of UFC competition and more active schedule compared to de Randamie’s, and I understand where those picks are coming from. However, I just don’t think we’ve ever really seen Holm do anything but play it safe outside of her defining win over Ronda Rousey, and it was clear she had Rousey hurt early on in that bout. There’s no doubting her world-class boxing skills, and de Randamie will certainly provide more opportunities for her to counter-strike than her last opponent, fellow counter-striker Valentina Shevchenko, did, but I’m not convinced Holm has the power or will to let it all hang out and truly put on a show for fans. De Randamie is truly a dark horse here; and one with arguably an equally decorated background in Muay Thai compared to that of Holm in boxing. I think de Randamie makes this fight ugly in the clinch and puts Holm in some bad spots. De Randamie by fourth-round TKO.

Rory Kernaghan:

Although de Randamie has some very nice striking, I don’t see Holm dropping her third fight in a row. ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ is about as seasoned a striker as you’ll get in the MMA world. Although I can’t imagine a devastating head kick KO like we saw against Ronda Rousey, I do think Holm will control the action. ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ has been fighting higher caliber competition, and has the nice, rangy counter striking to frustrate “The Iron Lady.” Holm by decision.

Mike Henken:

I expect this fight to play out on the feet, although it is a difficult one to predict for me. Holm, the former UFC bantamweight champion, is a decorated former boxer and kick boxer, while de Randamie’s strength lies in her Muay Thai. Neither fighter relies much on her grappling, although I’d expect Holm to be more well rounded in that area given the fact that she trains with highly-touted head coach Greg Jackson. “The Preacher’s Daughter” has lost two straight since winning the 135-pound title in Nov. 2015, but de Randamie has faced few fighters of Holm’s caliber in mixed martial arts. I expect the former champion to be the more experienced fighter and to be more acclimated to the pressure of headlining an event and fighting for a title. Of course anything can happen in a bout between two strikers, but I’m going to go with “The Preacher’s Daughter”. Holm by unanimous decision.

Anderson Silva vs. Derek Brunson:

Mike Drahota:

This is truly a hard fight to predict for me, because while it’s nearly impossible not to root for the legendary Silva, he’s clearly seen better days in his illustrious career (it would impossible not to be in that spot at 41 years). However, I also think his demise has been greatly exaggerated, as he’s lost to only champions during his streak of four losses and one no contest, and he also was close to knocking out the middleweight and light heavyweight champions in under six months. Not bad for an old man.

But he’s tasked with a bulldozing one-man wrecking crew in Brunson, a power slugger who’s said he’s going to fight much more patiently after losing an all-out brawl to Robert Whittaker last November. His style is both tailor-made for Silva’s lethal counterstriking and his kryptonite, as we can’t be sure where the aging fighter’s chin is truly at. That makes this an unpredictable and potentially scintillating bout to be certain; one where I can’t help but feel ‘The Spider’ has one last run in him. I think he can still catch Brunson rushing in. Silva by second-round TKO.

Rory Kernaghan:

Predicting Anderson Silva’s fights used to be quite simple. Back when ‘The Spider’ was king of the middleweight division, he was almost like the neighborhood bully who grew quicker than the rest of the kids. Since Weidman, it’s been anyone’s bet, and Brunson has some very threatening tools. Capable of using his wrestling as well as KO power in the hands, Brunson could very well seal Silva’s retirement. Obviously the stand-up is where Silva wants to keep this, but he very nearly came unstuck against Bisping, who rocked and dropped the ex-champ numerous times. Gut feeling pick from me, Brunson with a heart-wrenching knockout in round one.

Mike Henken:

Although I’ll admit that I’m a lifelong Silva fan, I’m not oblivious as to where he’s at during this stage of his career. The 41-year-old former champion hasn’t won a fight since 2012, and he’s lost four of his last five bouts. His chin has clearly deteriorated over time, which may be an issue against the heavy hitting Brunson. Silva has also had issues stopping takedowns, which Brunson could use to advantage. At the end of the day, however, I’m going to pick “The Spider” The Brazilian will certainly need to avoid the takedown as well as the big shots, but Brunson has tended to get wild in the past. Silva has always had success as a counterpuncher, using his speed and incredible timing to catch fighters charging in, which is what I expect to see here. Silva by second-round TKO.

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UFC Fight Night 104 Predictions: Will The Zombie Walk Again?

Tomorrow night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2017) the UFC is back with UFC Fight Night 104 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The card hasn’t been receiving a ton of heat throughout the MMA world, yet the main event presents an interesting featherweight scrap between top 10-ranked Dennis Bermudez and the returning Chan Sung Jung,

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Tomorrow night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2017) the UFC is back with UFC Fight Night 104 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

The card hasn’t been receiving a ton of heat throughout the MMA world, yet the main event presents an interesting featherweight scrap between top 10-ranked Dennis Bermudez and the returning Chan Sung Jung, who has been on hiatus since mid-2013 serving military duty in his native South Korea.

The co-main event features the potential rise of touted women’s strawweight Alexa Grasso, who meets veteran Felice Herrig in her toughest octagon test to date.

Find out who we picked to win the two main bouts of UFC Fight Night 104 right here:

Dennis Bermudez vs. Chan Sung Jung:

Mike Drahota:

The return of The Korean Zombie is an exciting one for MMA fans, as he was no doubt one, if not the, most action-producing forces in the featherweight division during his rise to title contention. The layoff is a concerning one, however, and I believe it could play into this bout heavily. Bermudez no doubt possesses the wrestling edge and has showed improved striking as of late, while Jung should hold a slight advantage in the grappling department.

Either way, I expect an all-out brawl, as both Bermudez and TKZ have shown they’re more than willing to exchange heavy blows. It’s a tough pick because of Jung’s layoff, but it leads me to lean Bermudez. ‘Menace’ by unanimous decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

Korean Zombie’s big comeback from military service will no doubt be an exciting affair. Unfortunately for Jung, I just don’t think he will be able to shake off the rust in time to get a rhythm against Bermudez. ‘The Menace’ has been around the top 10 for a while, and I just feel he has the explosiveness to take out Jung early on. ‘KZ’ could no doubt score a submission if this hits the mat, but Bermudez is absolutely no slouch on the ground. It’s a gut pick, but I see a TKO in round one for Bermudez.

Mike Henken:

It’s hard to tell what kind of form Jung will show up in after his leave of absence. At one point, he was one of the best 145-pounders in the world, showcasing slick striking skills and an excellent submission game. He may have the striking advantage over Bermudez, but ring rust and time away could also hinder his performance. With that being said, I expect Bermudez to use his movement and improving striking to set up his takedowns. Bermudez by unanimous decision.

Credit: Etzel Espinosa-USA TODAY Sports

Alexa Grasso vs. Felice Herrig:

Mike Drahota:

Grasso has been rightfully tabbed as a future women’s strawweight title contender, and while Herrig looked the best she ever has in her dominant submission win over Kailyn Curran, she’ll be facing quite the step up in competition here. Herrig’s best chances for the upset are on the ground, but I believe Grasso is simply too good standing to even allow it to get there for any prolonged period of time. Grasso by unanimous decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

Women’s strawweight is an exciting place, and I think Herrig has a very bright future there. I also feel Grasso has a great path ahead, and that she’ll defeat ‘Lil Bulldog’ on her way. Herrig has been a little patchy during her UFC career, and Grasso just has the edge in striking power and ability to finish. Truly it could go either way, but I like Grasso for the decision win, but don’t quote me on it

Mike Henken:

Herrig is an experienced veteran, but I feel as if Grasso will get the job done here. The young up-and-comer is a solid striker and is riding a wave of momentum, which is why I’m siding with her. Grasso by unanimous decision.

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UFC on FOX 23 Predictions: Will Title Shot Await The Winner?

Tomorrow evening (Sat., January 28, 2017) the UFC is back with UFC on FOX 23 from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. While the event may not carry any true marquee names, it nonetheless presents some highly relevant and potentially entertaining clashes that could carry championship implications for their respective divisions. None will be more

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Tomorrow evening (Sat., January 28, 2017) the UFC is back with UFC on FOX 23 from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. While the event may not carry any true marquee names, it nonetheless presents some highly relevant and potentially entertaining clashes that could carry championship implications for their respective divisions.

None will be more glaring than the Valentina Shevchenko vs. Julianna Pena main event, a bout where the winner should almost assuredly get the next women’s 135-pound title shot versus Amanda Nunes. But with ‘The Lioness’ campaigning for a bout against the winner of next month’s Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie women’s featherweight title fight, the likelihood of that has unfortunately become cloudier in recent weeks.

The co-headliner will also feature potential title implications, but only for Colorado native Donald Cerrone. ‘Cowboy’ will put his strong four-fight win streak on the line against experienced under-the-radar veteran Jorge Masvidal, who seems invigorated to finally fulfill the potential that’s kept him just on the outside of both the lightweight and welterweight Top 10 in the UFC. A win would mean a huge fight (if not a title fight) for Cerrone, while a Masvidal victory would be a coming-out party of sorts for ‘Gamebred’ on a national television stage.

It may not have earned the sheer attention of a Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey-led card, but it’s safe to say UFC on FOX 23 brings no shortage of backstories. Find out whom we picked to win the card’s main bouts right here:

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Julianna Pena:

Mike Drahota:

They may not be household names in MMA just yet, but this fight presents a match-up of the absolutely cream of the crop at women’s bantamweight right now. Pena has been seemingly calling out for a title shot since the moment she healed from her serious post-TUF knee injury and officially debuted in the UFC. You can’t argue with her body of work, as she’s won four straight with her most recent a one-sided, blanketing win over former title challenger Cat Zingano.

However, her finishes were against lower ranked opponents and her recent wins have been uninspiring. She brings a wrestling-heavy control game that should give her an advantage on Shevchenko there, but overall I see ‘Bullet’ as being the far more complete fighter. She can out-strike the best, evident by her latest win over Holm, and both her wrestling and submission games are up there with the top. Her striking advantage on the rather unrefined stand-up of Pena is the deciding factor to me, as I’m picking ‘Bullet’ to keep the distance with her championship Muay Thai background. Shevchenko by unanimous decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

The pivotal women’s bantamweight headliner will spell title shot for the winner, and it’s clear in my mind who has the edge. The Ultimate Fighter 10 winner Julianna Pena has her hands full in my opinion, as Valentina Shevchenko is proving to be the dark horse of the division. Aside from her loss to current champion Amanda Nunes, ‘Bullet’ has been on top form recently. Her movement, clean striking and accuracy, I feel, gives her the edge in this main event. Clean-cut unanimous decision for Shevchenko.

Mike Henken:

In my opinion, this main event should decide the next challenger to the 135-pound title. Shevchenko has won two of her last three bouts with her only loss in that stretch coming to champion Amanda Nunes. However, she rebounded last July with a dominant decision victory over former champion Holly Holm. Pena, on the other hand, has won four straight over steadily improving competition. I would argue that Pena is the more physically imposing and aggressive fighter, but I’d also say that Shevchenko’s striking is leaps and bounds ahead of Pena’s. “Bullet’s” submission game is also solid, as she has five submission victories to her credit. I simply feel as if she’s the superior fighter here, and that’s why I’m picking her to win. Shevchenko by unanimous decision.

Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

‘Cowboy’ Cerrone vs. Jorge Masvidal:

Mike Drahota:

This is a very fun fight that Cerrone took after Masvidal continuously called him out for ‘stealing his food’ when two Top 10-ranked opponents he was supposed to face were given to ‘Cowboy’ for one reason or another.

It’s lead to a very entertaining pre-fight back-and-forth, something that’s allowed Masvidal to come out of his shell after being one of the most talented-but-unknown fighters in MMA for many years. Of course his three split decision losses where his critics have pointed out he tends to coast after hurting his opponents early doesn’t help, but ‘Gamebred’ can erase all of that with a big win in Colorado.

He’ll have his hands full with a steamrolling force in Cerrone. ‘Cowboy’ has appeared reinvented at 170 pounds, as he’s been back to walking down opponents following a first-round TKO loss to Rafael dos Anjos in late 2015. He owns a knockout power edge over Masvidal and could certainly stop the bout early, but ‘Gamebred’ is an iron-chinned test. He also appears more motivated than he ever has been, and that’s been accompanied by a newfound killer instinct. Those aspects have me leaning towards the upset, Masvidal by unanimous decision.

Rory Kernaghan:

Given their recent form, it’s hard to bet against either man in the Denver co-main event. Jorge Masvidal’s underrated boxing is a sight to behold, but I think he comes second in the technicality and finishing departments against Donald Cerrone. The Jackson-Wink MMA product has been wrecking fools in two divisions, most recently with four straight at 170 pounds. I don’t see ‘Cowboy’ finishing the tough ‘Gamebred,’ in fact I predict quite a narrow and exciting fight. In the end, though, I’m picking Cerrone for the decision win.

Mike Henken:

Masvidal is certainly a well-rounded veteran, but Cerrone’s recent stretch at welterweight cannot be overlooked in my opinion. The former lightweight title challenger has scored four straight victories at 170-pounds with all four of them coming by way of finish. “Cowboy” looks bigger, faster and stronger at welterweight, and I think he’ll continue his streak against Masvidal. Cerrone by unanimous decision.

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